My First Marathon

On Friday night, after showing my daughter my big puffed up and swollen toe, I went to bed all choked up and cried. My summer training was difficult with most of my long runs ending up in disaster due to fueling problems. I wanted to have a race without any drama or mishap.  I tried to get some sleep as I was supposed to catch the early train to Toronto the next morning.

There was a buzz on Twitter about a documentary titled “Transcend” and the first tweet I came across was from Noel Pain suggesting to someone to watch the movie for inspiration. I watched the trailer and decided I wanted to watch the movie. I was overwhelmed with my emotions, thinking, “How could I possibly run with my injured toe?” and decided to watch the movie that night. But the digital copy I purchased got to my inbox kind of late and I watched a bit of it and decided to leave it for my train ride. The train was smooth and I was able to watch ¾ of it. But I already was left with a lot to think about. On the film’s website was this explanation: “Transcend is the story of the elusive spiritual energy that is somehow forged in the intense rigor of long-distance running.” I tried to remember the spiritual energy. I had experiences of running in the woods feeling light and super fast as if I was floating in space and had the best feeling of calm and satisfaction during some of my runs. I had worked mentally on myself to visualize my race and reminded myself that during times of stress to channel back to those places and times and find the strength to keep moving forward.

I started walking from Union Station to the Sheraton and was still thinking about the movie. I have stayed a few times there before but this morning it was full of buzz and I could see many runners coming in and some heading out to catch shuttle buses to the Expo. I checked in my luggage and headed to the expo as well. I texted my friend Darren saying I’m here and we were trying to find each other. I picked up my bib and headed towards the main stage and met Darren and his partner Rob. 

All of a sudden there were lots of hugs, laughs, selfies, and many of my digital champs around us. These people were some of those who have been supporting and inspiring me along my journey. I was so delighted to see them and have a chance to embrace our friendship. I told them I’m going to see a few of the vendors and I’ll be back.

I got to see my running hero, Lanni Marchant at the Asics tent and she graciously accepted to pose with me. I had my running journal with me, on which I had plastered her record breaking picture of the previous year’s marathon. She signed it for me and wrote “make those legs go fast”. I was thrilled!

I visited Michael from Black Toe Running who I befriended back in April before my first 10K race in Toronto. I purchased a singlet which I really like a lot. My phone, which is broken, died again on me and Michael graciously let me charge my phone despite it being super busy. I was so grateful for his help.

I headed to Sketchers next and bought myself a nice pair of running shoes. I purchase running gear around the time of major races to keep the motivation going afterwards. I knew I needed a new pair of running shoes after my marathon. It was great chatting with the sales person and posing with giant Meb’s poster.

I visited Pace and Mind and chatted with Rejean Chiasson who is super cool, kind, and generous. I told him that I’d be using his services in the future and told him about my fueling problems and how through my research I had decided to use eLoad! I told him I already had a lot of bad experiences with fueling so trying something on the day of the race which I have not tried before won’t really hurt me as I have already suffered from many fueling mishaps. We shared some laughter and took a couple of pics which turned out blurry, but regardless I had a great time meeting him.

I headed back to the main stage and met Andrew, Emily, Petja, Cory, Karyn, Bridget, …Jenna from the Canadian Running Series invited me to join in for a group photo with all the digital champs. It was really nice to see everyone and embrace the friendship.

It was getting late and I headed back to my hotel. I did not have much breakfast on the train as when they got to me they had run out of eggs and bacon! The other stuff was loaded with sugar and I just could not bring myself to eat any of it. I had munched on a lot of Pretzels. I headed to the restaurant in the hotel at around 2 pm and when I saw the menu I asked the waitress if the chef could make a pasta dish with chicken and spinach with no creamy sauce and bit of olive oil. She said sure. That’s what I had.  It was plain but filling. I also made reservations for that night as my daughter was joining me later on. I had dinner around 7 pm and was not very hungry. My daughter and I shared a salad, pasta, and fruit desert. Late at night I was feeling hungry around 11:30 and I had my favourite peanut butter Cliff Bar.

I did not get any sleep. First of all, I have insomnia. Second, I don’t sleep well in hotels with their big pillows and industrial annoying noises. This room was booked 6 month in advance with a specific request for the quietest room! YEP. No, there is no such a thing as perfect still quietness in a downtown hotel in Toronto! I also had my painful big toe that was throbbing despite taking an Advil. I had told everyone that regardless of what this toe does to me, I am running my race! I was at the point where I was having a conversation my toe. I told it to $%#@ right off as I am running with or without it! 

I got up around 5. I may have had some naps here and there throughout the night. When I got out of the bed the first thing I noticed was as I walked to the bathroom there was no pain in my big toe. I was surprised but then I thought it’s taking its sweet time and will be back with vengeance. I had packed my favourite cereal which I take with almond milk. Then, I did my dynamic stretches and still no pain in the toe. I drank a glass of eLoad electrolyte and slowly got ready. My running gear for that day was the same old gear I had worn throughout my summer training months. 

Nothing was new except for my eLoad gels. I also took my energybits before leaving.I was going to wear my belt with all four bottles. I kept one as plain water and the other three had one eLoad gel in them. I had 4 eLoad gels, salt tablets to help prevent cramping, Honey Stingers, and eLoad discs. I know you might say that’s too much but bear with me.

I went to bathroom many times, but as soon as I headed to the lobby I had a strong urge to go empty my bladder again. I ended up in the line up of the hotel lobby as I did not carry my hotel key to get back to the room and did not want to wake up my daughter. I had told her to be close to the finish line around 12:30 as my goal was to finish my race under 4 hours. I’m glad I did go to the bathroom one last time. 

Walking to the Blue zone, I texted Christa as we were supposed to start together. We had chatted a few times about our goals and fueling and had wished each other good luck for that day. Christa said she was close to the blue zone sign but I could not locate her and I needed to focus. I texted her saying I can’t find her and good luck and that we’ll see each other later.

I moved to the front where I could see the pace bunny holding 3:45. I loved the techno upbeat music that was being played. I started jumping up and down to the rhythm and really enjoying the music while keeping warm. It was pretty cold that morning. I had a sweater to keep me warm but my bare legs were really cold. The sweater of course was tossed away at 3K! Then the line started moving slowly to the front and we started the race.

Going to the race I knew my own shortcomings and obstacles I was facing:

·       Low Iron

·       Severe fatigue due to fuel inefficiencies around 23K.

·       Running to the bathroom not being able to handle gels.

·       Toe injury: I was stupid enough to go for a trail run the Saturday before    the race and hit my big toe into a rock and had damaged it.

·       Calf cramps – Which had happened severely two times around 21 K.

·       Hamstring injury that tends to flare up from time to time when I speed up.

·       Dizziness at 30K and severe vertigo.

    Pain in the Left shoulder after 23K.

    Being sensitive to cold temperature.

    Not being able to run and fuel at the same with efficiency.

I kept my eyes on our pace bunny. I had made a promise to stick to my fuel plan to reduce and prevent any mishaps. I had told myself I will start fueling early on at 5K but could only take a ¼ of it and throw the rest out as I did not have time to tuck it back into my belt neatly without sticky stuff getting everywhere. I did not stop at any fueling station for water or Gatorade as I had my own supply. The first 10K was pretty fast and I knew I set a PR. Up to that point I was very focused on the bunny and tried not to be troubled by the huge number of people running so closely together. I had never run in a race like that before. It was too crowded and I felt I had no space. At some point there was a couple of aggressive female runners who elbowed me to get ahead. At one point when I tried to maneuver my way away from a slower runner she practically pushed me with one hand and angrily said GO! I also was trying to avoid colliding with a person on a wheelchair and misjudged my step and made another runner almost go down but she balanced herself back up and I started apologizing profusely. She was nice about it and moved on.

The most unforgettable memory of my marathon was seeing the elite runners heading back. We were running on the same road in opposite directions. Seeing them created an amazing feeling in all of us and we started cheering and clapping for them. I will remember that for the rest of my life!

At 12K I wanted to drink water and had to walk slowly as I have not yet developed the skills needed to drink and run without choking and coughing. That’s when the bunny got away. I could see him ahead of me but I was not longer with the front pack. 

For a split second I had the feeling of defeat. At that point I realized I had two choices: to run like I always have run my races with intensity and serious focus to fight through or just let it go. Just enjoy the journey regardless of the outcome. I chose the latter. All of a sudden there was a transformation in me. A strange feeling of calm swept through me and I began to relax and take it all in. 

I paid attention to the people running alongside me. I paid attention to people cheering us on. I saw a drone above and two teenagers encouraging people to wave their hands and smile and I joined in and I was surprised at my own action. This was all new. They noticed me and held their hands out for a high five and I did with a big smile. I wasn’t running with any specific person or pack. I was on my own but did not feel lonely. A few kilometers ahead I saw the same two teenagers running and saying, “There she is, there she is”…I started laughing when I saw them making their way to high five me again and I did. That was a totally awesome experience. 

I kept drinking my diluted gels and taking Honey Stinger chews. I was having a great time without experiencing any issues. I still checked with my toe once in a while but there was nothing there. I believe I had mentally cut my toe off of my body. I believe that day something bigger than myself had taken over my body and mind. 

As we approached the fork that split the ½ marathon people from the full marathon for a split second I thought what if I was to run ½? Of course I continued on my path and was grateful for a bit more space and freedom of movement. As I saw my time on the clock I knew I had set my second PR that day for my ½ marathon. But I also knew that I start having problems after 21K. I started paying attention to my body. I took a couple of salt pills. I tried to force down a gel. I drank at every water station and Gatorade. I was willing to do anything to prevent cramps and fatigue. But every stop meant adding minutes to my time, as my biggest weakness is not being skillful and fast to fuel and keep running.

Exactly at 23K I started feeling tension in my left leg running all the way from my glute to my calf. Just like a rigid line. I realized when I eased up on my pace that the pain would subside and as I pushed to keep the 5:30 to 5:40 pace the tension would come back. I decided I didn’t want to risk it. The funny thing is I don’t have a habit of checking my Garmin and calculating pace. I listen to my body to set my pace. What I tell you about numbers is after the fact when I looked at the numbers which confirmed what I knew all along. 

I had lost the 3:45 pace bunny a long time ago. I kept seeing 3:55 for a while but I lost that one too. But they did not upset me. I just had accepted the fact that I wouldn’t be under 4 hours but I would finish the race. I saw many people on the side of the road pulling out and holding their calfs or hamstring. I saw a few people asking runners if they needed help. I did not want to be in that position. I decided to slow down and finish the race. 

I started to enjoy the experience more fully. I waved at two women who were playing Lady Gaga from their balcony and cheering us. I told them LOVE THE MUSIC! And they cheered a bit louder. I had a gentlemen passing me by saying you’re doing awesome lady! I smiled saying thank you! And he was gone. I spotted Mike Thornton and waved at him with a big smile and he was able to nod at me. I could see a bit of stress on his face and thought to myself he’s such a strong and fast runner and he’s almost home heading back and here I am just starting to head down. How would I look like when I’m coming back? Read his story here. I saw Ravi yelling and waving at him saying almost done.

My mantra is “Almost Home”. People called out my name saying “Looking strong Mahnaz”. I guess mentally I had pushed away all doubts, fears, and obstacles that day and I was coming out as a strong runner. Although my pace may not show it but my face and body was telling other runners and spectators I was enjoying myself and looked strong. Afterwards, some of the runners who had spotted me told me I looked very strong. The spectators were phenomenal. One Iranian volunteer who saw my name started running on the sidewalk yelling in Farsi and English giving me words of encouragement and was so happy see me that was beyond belief. At this point, I was with a group of 4 or 5 male hard core runners who were quietly running side by side but upon seeing that volunteers enthusiasm could not help themselves and break out a loud laughter turning to me saying that must be nice! AND it was. Thank you to those random strangers who were handing out bananas! It hit the spot! 

I gave words of encouragement when I saw someone was clearly struggling. Everyone struggles at some point. The only difference is the intensity and the level of the struggle. Any kind of encouragement is welcomed. I kept saying “We’re almost there” “You’ve got this”. 

I also remembered the advice from my friend Myron and high fived every kid that was holding their hands out. A few times I even maneuvered through the crowd to get to those kids. I loved their smiles and enthusiasm and I was filled with love and motivation to keep moving forward.

I thanked all the volunteers at the hydration stations. I kept chewing eLoad disks as I feared dehydration and cramps onset based my long runs’ experience.

The last 5k became challenging for me. I felt I could not lift my legs up. According to my podiatrist I shuffled my way through! I have small, quick steps to begin with. I’m not your typical running poster girl with tall, lean legs, perfect running posture smiling through finish line. I have scoliosis which somewhat makes me hunch over a bit around my shoulder. I have to continuously remind myself shoulders back, open up chest, and breathe. Well, at least I try to stick with it for a while. My two big toes have bunions which according to my doctor makes my running less efficient due to loss of flexibility of ligaments around the toes and how everything from the toe to the back of my neck are connected and makes me a shuffler.

I was shuffling the last 5K and the mantra from “Almost home” had become “I am going to finish this”. I had managed to take a gel at 21K and one at 30K. I had finished my water and two of my gel diluted bottles. I had finished my hydration discs. I had finished my chews. I had finished my salts. The last 400m seemed too long. At each turn I expected the run to finish. 

As I saw the finish line a smile came on my face. I remembered why I wanted to run a marathon. To challenge myself, to test my own ability and strength, to symbolize my freedom from barriers and those who had tried push me down or pull me back for whatever reason, and to run for those who had become prisoners around the world for expressing their thoughts and beliefs. I was running for all of us. How lucky was I to run freely and be cheered on by random strangers? How lucky was I to be alive and free!

I crossed the finish line with a sense of calm and started walking without getting emotional. I was at peace. I was quiet. On the day of my marathon I acted so unlike me. Who was this person who just ran a marathon and is not jumping up and down with smile and expressive emotions hugging every random person in her path. I was totally a different person on the day of my marathon. When a volunteered offered a bottle of water I looked her in the eye with a quiet voice and said could you please take the cap off? She did and I took the bottle and continued on. I saw a runner sitting in the corner throwing up. I saw people hugging, laughing, crying….I kept walking. I got my medal and told the volunteer I would give him a hug but I was way too sweaty and wet. 

I made my way to where you could meet your family members. I texted my daughter to let her know I was there. She came and we embraced and hugged. She had my warm clothes which I put on very quickly and felt how cold I was. I told her all day I did not feel cold. She said it’s been very cold and she has been shivering. I left my running shoes behind for someone to take home. When I asked the volunteers where I could leave my shoes they didn’t know. I just left them at the square! I wore my comfy Sketchers GoWalks. Then I realized how my big toe was hurting! The pain was back with a vengeance. We headed back to the hotel. I hardly could walk. The muscle cramping on the left side and the cold weather were working together to paralyze me. In my foggy, hazy mode I did not take any photos post marathon showcasing me with my medal or posing where all the banners were. As soon as we got back to the hotel, I took a shower, Advil, salt tablets, and energy bits. 

I headed downstairs in my sweat pants, head towel, and bathrobe. The guy in the elevator in suit gave me a quick look and looked down at his feet. I made him a bit less apprehensive by saying I just ran a marathon and I think earned the right to go for my massage in my head towel and sweat pants ;-) He chuckled looking at me saying you are absolutely right! The Chinese lady at the Senses Spa gave me the best massage ever! She also gave my legs some pretty good stretches which was much needed. 

We headed to Earl’s Restaurant after where I had a huge chicken salad with avocado and was still wearing my medal. There was a huge table in the middle full of Spanish speaking people, two of whom also were wearing their medals. We raised our medals, smiled and nodded knowing what we had just accomplished. 

Heading back home, I tried to find my results online but I couldn’t and asked Tweeps if anyone knew what my time was. At the same time that Paul tweeted my results I saw it. It was 4:13:57. I led out a big omg! and put my hands on my face. You see when I crossed the finish line I saw 4:25 something and I wasn’t sure what my time was as my Garmin decided to die only .29 to the finish line. 

I was so happy to see my time. I watched the movie Transcend again and this time my perspective was somewhat altered. I was watching it as a marathoner.

  

~ Facts ~

*On race day I was 47 years old.

*I started running more frequently as of summer of 2013.

* I started training for my first ½ marathon in Sept 2013 and ran a 2:08 in        November 2013

*I started running regularly as of Dec 2013.

*I had to stop running for a while due to being severely anemic. (April to the end of May 2014)

*Trained for my 1^st marathon on my own through studying and researching materials and info online. I ran some of my long runs with the Running Room. I ran some shorter runs with London Pacers and MEC.

* I did not have as many as speed training I had hoped for. There were some but not enough.

*I did not have a lot of tempo runs. I was weak, out of breath with severe heart palpitations.

*I managed to run my long runs either on a Friday, Sat, Sunday or Monday. Regardless, I managed to run it. I ran when I felt happy and I knew I could run it.

*I got my first two black toes from running on treadmill when Polar Vortex had hit lows of -33 in February of 2014

* I got black toe on my big toes and the nail growth has been ridiculously slow despite good nutrition.

*I got a new black toe right after my marathon.

*I have lost a toenail!

*I had severe ligament injury around the big toe and after my marathon it became worse and it is only now that it has begun to feel better.

What Do I need to Work on?

·       Fueling

·       Speed work

To me, my first marathon could have been much better. I could have made Boston qualifying time with proper speed work and fueling. I would like to consider my first marathon as a test drive. I have goals and I am determined to do better.

I work odd hours and as a single mom have some restrictions around what I can do. But I think I need help to figure out how I can achieve my goals despite all the issues facing me. Where there is a will there is a way. I just have to find the way.

What worked?

* Mental Strength and decisiveness

*eLoad – I did not have any adverse reaction to eLoad. FYI – During the entire race I did not have to stop at any bathroom station. That was a huge success.

*Honey Stinger

*Energybits
*Cliff Bar

*My belt
*I did not experience any problems during my marathon run that I usually had experienced during my long runs. 

Thank you!

*CanadianRunning Series: For providing me an opportunity to run my first marathon and have one of my greatest life experiences through their venue. Thank you for your support on Twitter and Instagram through comments, retweets, and including my training photos on your blog. Thank you Alan Brooks for your support.

*JasonFitzgerald: I learned a lot from his blogs and emails. He is very generous to share his knowledge and his materials are accessible. I really like his pre and post run stretches and core workouts.

*CoachRejean Chiasson: We had a quick chat on Twitter after I learned one of the digital champs, Christa Davidson was training with him. He is the founder of Pace and Mind and immediately followed me on Twitter and Instagram. A short blog he had before our marathon taught me how to incorporate sports drinks into my diet a few days before the race.  I started paying attention to my hydration and diet two weeks prior to my race. But reading this article helped a lot as well.

*Pulse-SpinStudio: Shayne and Monica are one of the nicest and giving couple in the business. I trained at their studio with a break this past summer due to being low in iron. But I’ll be back at their studio again.

*Both MokshaYoga and YogaShack for giving me a nice hot room to practice those much need moves to strengthen my core and back.

*RunningRoom in London Ontario: Thank you to all staff and instructors who supported me. I had some really good times with my running buddies. For my marathon training, I was able to join the running room for some of my long runs and I would not have been able to finish those long runs had it not been for the group help. A special thank you goes out to Barry for encouraging me to hang in there during one of my toughest long runs 32K this past summer. Last but not least a huge thank you goes out to Angie at the running room for being a good listener, supporter, and running friend. Looking forward to more runs with you.

* Thank you London Pacers and MEC for your support and friendship. You are the greatest bunch to run trails with!  I consider running trails as a form of cross training which prepared for my marathon. Trail running is also where I find peace and I can meditate.

*Thank you all of my digital champions from Canadian Running Series for inspiring me and keep the motivation going. There are many of you  out there, if we chatted on Twitter or Instagram you know this heartfelt thank you is for you.

*Thank you for Running Room, Runners’ Choice, New Balance London, and MEC for all your services. As you can see I shop everywhere and I run with all sorts of groups.

* Thank you to all of those who donated to Amnesty , the charity I had chosen in support of freeing prisoners of conscience around the world.

*Thank you to all of those who follow me on Twitter and Instagram and provided support throughout my journey. Your words of support meant a lot to me.

* A very special thank you to my daughter who planted the seed of running seriously in my heart. When she registered for her first ½ marathon and I waited for her to arrive I visualized myself crossing the finish line. First was a  marathon, then the goal became marathon, and now I have registered for my first ultra marathon 50K. Thank you for inspiring your mama bear.

* Last but not least. A very special thank you to my little ninja who acted as my coach and photographer at times and providing words of encouragement saying “I’m proud of you”! He loves math and one way to spend time together was for him to record my times during my speed training. I cherish the moments I shared with my son.

"The medal is displayed in my ninja's room."

*Freedom* Moving Forward*Focus*Determined*

@nomadicrunner45

The Last Long Run of the Summer

I woke up from my nap and felt a heavy weight on my chest. I reached out for my phone and checked my Twitter timeline. I ended up reading about Emily Gray’s first marathon and reflected some more and then cried. She did finish her marathon even though she had jumped in without giving it much time and consideration. You should definitely read it, if you are thinking of running your first marathon.

I, on the other hand, have known since Dec 2013 that I’d be running my first marathon on October 19, 2014 in Toronto. I’ve been having problems since early April when I found out my iron was too low. I took it easy for a while and reduced my amount of activity. I used to cross train with weekly yoga and spin class. I also love boxing and martial arts and used to do more of them.

I picked up my training again in June. But this time there wasn’t much yoga, spinning, or any other different types of workouts. I had no energy to get anything done. I would get heart palpitations and dizziness as the amount of physical activity increased or I when I picked up the pace during my runs. I started Insanity about a month ago again as the only supplement workout to my running.

Most of my runs have been very slow. I pushed myself for my half marathon on Sept 7^th and finished in less than 2 hours. I also had a great run of 29K a few weeks ago which I completed with a decent pace. Those two are the highlights of my training. The rest have been smeared with multiple issues from not having anything left in the tank, muscle cramps, fuel problems, etc.

I do everything right: carb loading, dynamic stretches, foam rolling, hydrating, etc.

What I can’t figure out is what the cause of my poor performance is.

Is it all iron related?

Today, I was up at 5:00. I had a delicious breakfast of toast and jam with coffee. I foam rolled and did Jason Fitzgerlad’s Standard Warm Ups. And the night before I had done yoga. Then the thunderstorm arrived and we were hit by torrential rain. I waited for the storm to pass by before heading to the Running Room. By the time I got there, they had left. I couldn't find them, so I decided to go for a solo run.

I started strong as I was happy to feel the warm air around me with the sun shining. I chose a new route and I decided to include a 12K trail of Kains Woods with my long run.

Kains Woods - April 2014

When I got to the woods I felt even stronger. I was zipping through the paths and I was smiling looking all around me seeing the river to my right flowing fast and furious as if it was racing with me. I kept looking all around me, seeing nothing but nature and a magical, breathtaking beauty. I inhaled the fresh air; the smell of rain and mud was lovely. I made a mental note that this moment will serve as a new mental visualization for my marathon. When I’m struggling I will be back in this place.

I made a mistake of eating very spicy chicken wings for lunch yesterday. I have had them before and they are not new to my diet. But I’ve never had them before my long run. I should have known better as I’m still tweaking my fueling habits. I don’t like energy gels. Period. I thought I liked them two weeks ago when I did not go rushing to find a bathroom. During my ½ marathon race I found out I hate taking them as they make me gag, are too sweet, and they just feel wrong and full of chemicals! Today was no exception. I had to run and find bathrooms. I did not stop my watch. Before hitting 21K today I had gone two times. From 21 to 27K I literally died. Severe diarrhea came out of nowhere! My long runs are cursed. My long runs are so mingled with dramas that it’s not even funny anymore. I want to write one time and say I had a KICK ASS LONG RUN. I RAN GREAT. AND NOTHING, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING BAD HAPPENED.

Of course, being a pre-menopausal woman of age 47 who has her period twice a month now did not help. Severe cramps and all…I got home, cleaned up, and went to bed.

Now, I read Emily’s first marathon’ story. I did cry and still am upset about not being able to run a decent and happy long run. But I will try to remember what went well today. I will focus that I still have another 26 days and will do my best to stay with the training. I will be positive and focus on crossing the finish line even if it takes the whole 6 hours. I worked too hard to quit at this point. I worked too hard not to believe that I can’t finish. I maybe slow. Way too slow now, but I will shuffle my feet and have every intention to crawl over that finish line.

@nomadicrunner45

My First Official Half Marathon

 

1.59:12

 47th Annual Hardick Springbank Half Marathon 

Last Sunday, I ran the Springbank half marathon in London, Ontario. The race was special for many reasons:

•  I had just turned 47 a few weeks ago and ran the 47^th Springbank half for the first time.
• Both of my kids accompanied me and waited to greet me at the finish line. Their support meant a lot to me.
• My daughter ran the same race in 2013 and got her very first medal for her first half marathon.  It was during that race that I was waiting for her, I saw many people crossing the finish line and I imagined that that would be me. In a way my daughter’s interest for serious running made me serious about running too. She inspired me to make my dream a reality.
• I registered for my first half marathon and ran it on Nov 1, 2013. But my time of 2:06 did not get registered due to some tech problems and they showed me as a walker with a time of over 3 hours. In a way, the Springbank half was a redemption race. I’d like to call it my first official half marathon. I made it in less than two hours.
• For someone who is 47 and picked up running only last year. I have a lot of learning ahead of me. Not only through social media, various group runs, and reading articles, but also through personal experiences during long runs and races.
• The organizers of the race, Runner’s Choice, were of course very organized and they had amazing volunteers to cheers us on. As I crossed the finished line, a woman with a warm smile put my medal around my neck and I smiled back saying thank you. They also read each individuals name as they came in. There were lots of refreshments and great support. The technical top they provided was great and it will be one of my favourite tops to wear during my runs. The medal was pretty cool as well and I still haven’t given it to ninja to keep it in his room.
  
  
• What did I learn from this race? I’m going to be honest to myself and my readers:
  
  
• I don’t enjoy running in crowded places for several reasons:
• Noise:  
  • Sometimes crowds are loud and the noise bothers me. I don’t listen to music to mute all other noises. But I wish I could figure out how to focus better on my run and not the crowd.
  • Is there such a thing as an ADHD Runner? I might be one! When someone is behind me breathing heavily, pounding their feet, or their bib is making too much noise, their music travelling to my ear…I surge to put distance between myself and the distractions around me.
• Scented Products:
  • I’m very sensitive to perfume and scented products. It becomes difficult to breathe properly and I get migraines. It’s just uncomfortable to smell someone else’s scents during my runs. Again, I try to pull away from them.
• Mental Focus:
• I definitely need a lot of work to learn how to focus on me and my race and not the elements around me.  I was even thinking to start listening to music again to eliminate all other distractions. But as a minimalist, I like to run free. And this brings me to the next question.

"Before the Race"

• What didn’t work for me during the race?
• Hydration Belt:
• I’d love to run free of any gadgets. But being severely low in iron, sweating profusely more than the average person, and lacking the ability to drink water from a cup (I choke on my saliva!), I’d like to carry my own electrolytes (Nuun) and water.
• I have tried many hydration belts but have ended up returning them as they all bounce.
• This hydration belt was bulky, a bit big and bouncy. It fell two times and I had to pick it up. It was making me uncomfortable and tired. I gave it to a kind volunteer to hold on to it for me and moved on.
• But that meant not drinking the way I was used to. I like to take a sip, just a sip but fairly often. Drinking at hydration stations is not for me. I had a hard time drinking from a cup, so I walked till I could drink. That slowed me down.

 That belt won't be part of any future races!

• Pacing/Garmin:
  •  I don’t plan every minute of my race, strategizing, keeping track of my time and all that jazz. I just want to run as fast as I’m able to and get the race done. I run with feelings.
  • I usually find a person who passes me and it seems to be fast. I keep an eye on them and just run with them. If that person is too fast and they disappear from my view I pick another person. Someone who is bit faster than me and can be my pacer.
  • I had a few of those and it worked very well until around 16K when I started feeling little twitches in my calves. I said, “Please let’s not have any cramps”. The twitches got a bit stronger and I slowed down. My pacers were gone.
• What worked:
  • Mental Strength and Visualization:
    • My mind was a jungle of thoughts buzzing in all directions. I wanted to finish my run in under two hours, I wanted to see my kids at the end of the line proud of their mama bear, I didn’t want to have cramps, my pacers were gone, there is heavy breathing….then I thought of stopping and walking to prevent the cramps but then another voice said you’ve made it this far keep going even if you’re dead tired! I thought of my kids and I did not want to let them down.  I started telling myself to shut down all the negative voices. I remembered how one day I had run through the woods feeling light and fast without a sound. That day I felt strong and regal like a gazelle. 
      My posture was better, I was feeling strong and I saw the finish line. I kept the visualization running through my head and kept pace. I crossed the finish line. I turned around and saw my kids and the first thing they said was YOU DID IT MOM!

"Serentiy"

What happened next was a round of severe dizziness, and everything was going black. I lied down on the cool grass and told my kids to go get Eload, water, and recovery foods like banana and etc. I started drinking and feeling better. The dizziness had subsided but out of nowhere both my calves cramped! Holy crap! I had a golf ball in my calf L I was in agony and a gentleman ran and got me juice, but seeing how bad the cramp was, he went and got the first aid people. One of them asked how often I run and I knew where she was going with this and said “I’m a runner” and I’ve never had this happening. This is not my first run here today! The other one tried to give me an icepack but you had to shake it to become ice! I told them you really need to carry real ice with you guys! Thanks to Brian, the manager of Runner’s Choice who brought some real ice, there was a decline in pain and the contractions eventually subsided.

"After muscle cramp attack had vanished."

As we drove home, I told my kids that I was thankful for having them with them and helping mommy to get her recovery food and drinks after the race. My ninja said, “You do a lot for us and we wanted to be there for you.” I choked up and had to wipe my tears.

This race was a great learning experience about me and our little family.  They see me as a great role model and I see them as my motivators.  Visualizing their faces with me running in the woods gave me the sub 2 hour half marathon. My daughter said mom you looked strong when you were coming in. That made me really happy.

My daughter behind me taking pictures :)

Visualization is a powerful tool!

I am a free-spirited woman who loves to run. I can see an ultra runner in the making. I visualize myself running in beautiful places and being one with nature.

Where I love to run...

Thank you to the organizers and volunteers for their support and fantastic race experience!

@nomadicrunner45

Training For My First Marathon

Saturday morning rolled around. I was supposed to leave the house at 8:00 A.M.

Being a professional insomniac and having a low level of iron, I’ve been feeling tired and exhausted all the time.  I dragged my body out of bed at 8:00. I was behind my daily routine and to top it off I had not prepared my running gear the night before! Preparing for a long run takes a bit of time. I prepared my drink, got my gel, belt, clothes, put on my shoes and Garmin only to realize my Garmin was not working!!! It wasn't fully charged despite having been plugged in. I got annoyed. Today wasn’t one of those days that I could go for a run without my watch.  I was supposed to run 25K and I needed it to be logged in and documented for my marathon training. I plugged it back in and while waiting got some stuff done. It was just before noon that I started to head out.

I love warm summer days.  As soon as I stepped out I could feel the warm air wrapping around me like a blanket. There was a nice occasional cool breeze that made the day so beautiful and perfect for a run.

I usually give myself a good 2 to 3 km of warm up run to allow my legs to wake up. The runs usually start with hilly areas so I rarely have a good start. I’m usually able to pick up the pace after the warm up and recently can’t hold that pace for long due to severe low iron. I may hold a pace of 4:15 for 1K and 5:30 for 2K and then it’s gone back to 6:00+. I started feeling good after the warm up and picked up the pace. As I waited at the red light I turned around and another runner was smiling at me saying “I was able to catch up with you now that you stopped!” We both smiled and I said I still have 20K to go and won’t be holding this pace for long! We ended up talking about her previous marathons and where she runs now. She was finishing her run and heading home. She said I love your singlet. “It is sharp”! I told her it’s from Black Toe Running in Toronto. She said yes, I've heard of them. And with that she was gone and wished me a great run. 

I choose a different path each time for my long runs. I prefer running on long roads close to edge of the city. I don’t like running in neighbourhoods with lots of twists and turns. I also get bored running in the parks. My daughter was funny the other night saying we have run so many times in that park that I can tell when there’s a new spot covered by goose poop! This wasn't there the day before! haha! Yes. Running just outside the city allows for a more quiet run, listening to the birds, seeing horses along the way and makes it more bearable for me. At 7K I realized I was really hot. I found some shade and drank more water. Even for someone who loves the summer heat, this was a bit much especially when running.

I kept plugging away. There was no wind, it was too hot, and I was too slow dragging my heavy legs. I thought to myself maybe I should turn around and do a long run tomorrow morning. Then I started playing the famous game of “I’ll run to that tree”, “I’ll run to that stop sign”, I’ll run to that traffic light”….and I kept running. 

“It’s very hard in the beginning to understand that the whole idea is not to beat the other runners. Eventually you learn that the competition is against the little voice inside you that wants you to quit.” ~ George Sheehan ~

On my hydration belt I had 3 Nuun hydration bottles and one water bottle. I had run out of water. Got a cold water bottle from a gas station and as I walked outside it started raining. I smiled and kept running. I was feeling better with the cold drink, and with the rain my concentration and focus was more clear. Then I ran to two older men who were walking with canes. They smiled at me saying you’re enjoying this, aren't you? I smiled back saying “I love running in the rain.” Then I met an older woman on a wheelchair who was trying to put her raincoat on. I asked her if she needed help. She smiled saying yes, please. I put my water down and helped her to get it on. We wished each other a great day and I kept running.

Up to that point, I was upset and frustrated by my own sluggish and slow run. You see, I started running seriously since July 2013. I was at my peak training this past winter and was doing great. Each time I plugged my Garmin my pace was less than 6:00! I secretly was wishing for a Boston Qualifying time for my first marathon. I was imagining and dreaming a great fast run. I was telling myself I have 7 month to train. But then in April everything changed when I learned I had low iron. With it came fatigue, heart palpitation, dizziness, and slow speed.

Then I started thinking…

I was physically able to run. What if my doctor had said I won’t be able to run for the rest of my life? What if I was on wheelchair? What if I did not have my legs? I was running. My running might be slow. I may never qualify for Boston or I may. Who knows? But that does not matter any longer. A wave of relief washed over me. I had nothing to prove to myself or anyone else. I was doing my best. I was lucky to be able to run. Slow, sluggish, and shuffling my feet. I was running. I am a runner. I had a clarity that was much needed.

It is during my runs that I get my answers. One day, I find my answer while running parallel to a doe galloping in the meadow, another day is through a big beautiful horse’s eyes calling my name to come closer, and today was the older people with their canes and wheelchair. Life is fragments of all these moments put together. I was lucky to put my running shoes on and go for a run.

At 20K, I got to the splash pad and not caring about my time any more, I ran under the running water. A grandmother smiled at me and I asked her if she could take a couple of pictures. She said yes but wasn't confident and kept saying my grandkids know how to do this. I said you’re doing great and showed her how to do it. She took some very nice pictures. The grandkids were intrigued and kept staring. I smiled and thanked them. 

Thank you Alan Brookes for your words of support after my tough run.

Wet, tired, and in pain, I kept running. The next 4K wore the slowest I have ever run. But my thoughts were to just make the kilometer! When I got home my Garmin showed 24.30! I turned around and kept running until 25K was reached. When I got home I could barely go upstairs. But I was so proud of my achievement. I had run the distance I was supposed to run.

Today, I ran 29K and felt better. I had less stops but still a very slow pace. I kept reminding myself that the goal is to run a marathon. The speed does not matter at this point. Thank you to the lady who cheered me at 24K saying “You look good! keep going.” It really does make a difference when we’re struggling but someone cheers you on and you find that extra ounce of bravery to push forward and put a smile on your face.

“You only ever grow as a human being if you’re outside your comfort zone.” 

~ Percy Cerutty ~

I love all my running Tweeps. My timeline is full of tweets about running, fitness, running fashion, etc…but what I look for is those who with honesty talk about their struggles and triumphs, are humble and proud, are supportive and caring, those who make me smile, and those who accept me for who I am and choose to follow me.

I am lucky to be able to run and have the support of our running community.

Follow my journey at @nomadicrunner45 on Twitter and Instagram.